Author Simon Michael was in Hitchin on Saturday to talk about his noir thrillers, the Kray twins and more.

The Comet: Hertfordshire authors member Simon Michael speaks about his new book at Hitchin Library. Picture: DANNY LOOHertfordshire authors member Simon Michael speaks about his new book at Hitchin Library. Picture: DANNY LOO (Image: ©2018 Danny Loo Photography - all rights reserved)

Simon, who lives in Flitwick, appeared at Hitchin Library as part of their Society of Authors series of talks.

Former barrister Simon spoke about his family’s East End history, their connection with the Kray twins, and his eating bacon sandwiches with a convicted murderer in the cells of the Old Bailey. He also read sections from his books – including Corrupted, which came out on Thursday.

In Corrupted, Simon weaves his barrister antihero Charles Holborne into the real-life 1960s scandal surrounding alleged gay sex parties involving the Krays, Tory peer Lord Boothby and Labour MP Tom Driberg.

Simon, whose work was published here and in the US in the 1980s, returned to writing after retiring from the law after 37 years in 2016.

After the Hitchin talk he said he had “had a blast” with a “lovely, literate and well-informed audience”.